Friday, December 13, 2013

No Animals were Harmed in Creating this Blog



 
 
 
How to Make SauerKraut - This is easy, fun and delicious.
Pink Martini -Splendor in the Grass
Jack Fruit BB - yeah you read that right.
 
 
 
 
New Vegan Eats For Me I need to organize this mess

Here are some places I have learned about


Following up on their previous successful venture, Off the Griddle food truck, the owners, Ashley and Dan, have opened this breakfast and lunch food diner place that's mostly vegan and gluten-free. Features classic American comfort food items such as vegan mac & chz, waffles with fresh fruit, biscuit sandwich, veg meatloaf sandwich, biscuits and gravy, plus daily vegan specials. Different non-dairy milks are provided for coffee drinks. Since Nov 2011. Has outdoor seating. Accepts credit cards. Moderate

 


Opened since March 2011, Natural Selection features crafted dishes combining both rustic and modern cooking techniques while highlighting the flavors of France, Italy, and Spain. Offers a four-course vegan or vegetarian prix fix meal with a carte dining welcomed. Choice spirits and wine available. Served in warm European-style setting. Better to reserve ahead. Accepts credit cards. Expensive.

 


Vegan barbecue food cart at the Mississippi Marketplace. The menu features Southern-style BBQ without the meat or dairy. Sample items such as chili shroom sammich with fryz, cajun fried tofu sammich, soy curls, tempeh ribs, Field Roast chorizo, barbecue beans, mac-no-cheese. Also sells sweet mint iced tea, vegan desserts and cookies. Gluten-free options. Cash only. Inexpensive.

 


This vegan bar was started by the folks from the Bye & Bye vegan bar. It has a similar menu and style but not quite as upscale. Vegan food include a appetizers and sides plus various bowls. Prices are inexpensive-moderate. Backroom seating. Has outdoor seating. Wheelchair accessible. Accepts credit cards. Moderate.

 
 
Arnold Peabody
 
 
The above is from One Green Planet. Which I love,
 
 From Bovine Beauties -A Kind Hearted Face Book Group
 
Demographics
Right now I am trying to reconcile being a vegan and their stances on issues such as Abortion and the Death Penalty. It is stated that a large percentage of Vegans do so because of ethical considerations.
Vegan demographics
Most likely to be female and under 35.
Gender:VegansUK VegansUSA Vegans
Male33%36%22%
Female67%64%78%
Age:VegansUK VegansUSA Vegans
16-2421%14%36%
25-3440%39%44%
35-4425%32%11%
45-5410%11%7%
55+4%4%2%
Why vegan?
87% of people are vegan for ethical/moral reasons.
VegansUK VegansUSA Vegans
Dietary/health11%9%19%
Ethical/moral87%90%77%
Spiritual/religious2%1%4%
When did you become vegan?
78% of vegans went vegan between the ages of 16 and 34, with 52% between the ages of 16 and 24. The average (mean) age for turning vegan is 24.1, although the most frequent ages are 19, 20 and 21. US vegans generally turned vegan younger (mean age 22.4) than UK vegans (mean age 24.9).

VegansUK VegansUSA Vegans
<15 td="">







10%7%17%
16-2452%51%52%
25-3426%29%21%
35-448%9%6%
45-543%3%3%
55+1%1%1%
Source: The Vegan Profile
 
Looking forward to 2014
 
Vegan ode to the Tune of Do'nt Go Back To RockVille
 
Looking at your watch a third year waiting in the deli for some kale
Going to a place that's fair, so fair that animals someday are not for sale
Going where the animals say hello, and they grunt to anybody they don't know
They won't wind up in some factory that's full time filth and no choice of where to go
Walk home to an comfy house, scarfing burgers getting old
I know it might sound strange, but I believe
You'll be coming back before too long

(chorus)
Don't go back to eating meat, don't go back to eating meat, don't go back to smallville
And waste another year
 
Being a former meat eater I must confess I never liked liver as I thought it was the wurst. however bad pun aside i remember like Liverwurst. Here looks like a good recipe.
 
 


 
The Gluten Free Era
 
I want to bake and Thanksgiving Musings
 
So we are getting alot of Onions.

Thanksgiving Lentil loaf
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
  • 3/4 cup bulgur wheat
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2/3 cup apple cider (non-alcoholic)
  • 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves


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Method:
Put lentils in a small saucepan with 2 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer until lentils are very tender, about 40 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

Put bulgur in a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer until bulgur is tender and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, combine mushrooms, onion, cider poultry seasoning and salt. Cover and simmer over medium heat until vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Scrape into a bowl and fold in lentils, bulgur, oats, bell pepper and parsley.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8- or 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Pack lentil mixture firmly into pan and smooth the top. Bake until edges brown slightly, about 1 hour. Cool in pan 25 minutes, then invert it onto a serving plate. Remove parchment and let the loaf cool a few more minutes. Use a serrated knife to cut the loaf into 1-inch-thick slices.

To freeze leftovers, let the loaf cool to room temperature, cut into serving slices, wrap in foil or freezer-safe plastic wrap and freeze up to 1 month.To reheat, unwrap and microwave, or place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 275°F oven until heated through, about 45 minutes.

Nutritional Info:
Per Serving:230 calories (15 from fat), 1.5g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 110mg sodium, 44g carbohydrate (10g dietary fiber, 6g sugar), 12g protein
 
Ok I have not posted here in awhile. In the last few weeks wo have started to eschew wheat and the havoc it does to the body. We have been experimenting sucussfully with lettuce wraps, Gluten free bread, raw food and various new dining eperiences.
 
Grain Damaged, a home for GIG of Portland is a real nice read and link.
 
A nice restaurant experience.
 

Vegan raw pasta

The other day we went to restaurant on Hawthorne. it was called Harlow and it was busy, filled with Portland Thorns fans and the food was delicious. We had a raw pasta that was delicious.
WANDERING HEART PASTA (raw)
zucchini noodles tossed in a peppery lemon basil cashew alfredo
sauce with carrots, spinach, tomatoes & almond parmesan .
Our waitress told us we can make it our self. Just use the Spiralizer and it can be ordered on Amazon. Well it just arrived on the front porch.
Here is a link to Harlow http://www.harlowpdx.com/#!menu/c24tf
And the forementioned contraption.http://www.raw-food-health.net/Spiralizer.html
 
 



New Years Ramblings
We we have tried some new Recipes and Restaurants over the break and most were successful ventures. Over the new year we had some time off together so cooked together and planned meals together. Our old next door neighbor made a wonderful Tofu dish from Sauvie Island Organics. We had our traditional Faux Fish and Chips for Xmas eve had New Years traditional sauerkraut with Vegan Reuben's. Jen took me to PapaG's on the east side over on division and it was wonderful.
Here are some recipes we will be making in the new year.
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Also insist on vegan if you must. I had the same banal salad in the Rochester airport so many times before and I was bored with it. I asked Janice the bartender to make me something vegan with the limited food they had. She made me a delicious sauerkraut, onion sandwich.

And recipes are merely a frame work. Jenna added barley to our trditional chilli recipe and it is probably better than before.  

Here is a list of staples we always seem to need. I should probably send this list to my phone and always have it handy. By the way this Vietnamese store in Rose City has many of the staples very cheap.

Tamari
Tofu (Tofu Factory on 12th or Thanh Thao Market)
Nutritional Yeast
Olive Oil
Rice Wine Vinegar
And of course fresh fruits and vegetables.

Remember buy local and in Season. You will notice the difference.
 G's






Long Time No Posting

And I need to get this blog more organized. Spent the summer getting food from Sauvie Island Organics. Found many new veggies we have not had before. I found my selg eating the veggies on the way home. One week a pepper, next week Kale and so on. Jenna continues to be addicted to Tofu Bahn Mi   still - quite possibly the best sandwich we've ever had. We did venture out of our comfort zone and make some jams and they were quite good. Another thing we had going this summer was fresh veggie broth, salsa, tomato soup and tomatoe sauce.

Here is how my wife Makes Veggie Broth

She save all veggies, veggie tops, veggies to be discared and veggies that will not be eaten and put them in the freezer. When it is time to make souo she just boils for and hour or two. It is a great base for Vietnamese soups.

Zuccinni Cakes

Hope to post a recipe. All I know is she grates a ton of zuccinni and they are great.






June Book Club (June 21) -Jenna made a stunning meal for 9 people which is a task in itself. The main course was Tofu Bahn Mi. Those hoagies are delicious and some of the Meat eater's eschewed the sausage and enjoyed the vegan hoagies. Sauvie Island Organics provided some beautifully delicate potatoes for an excellent side dish. She also made a killer coleslaw made with Napa cabbage. It was excellent. We did discuss the book "My Abandonment" for awhile.

On a side note Jenna has been making Vegetable stock from leftover vegetables and vegetable scraps. 

It is June - Mock Tuna Salad from my little sister Jennifer. She has a recipe for Sweet Potato Fajita's that I will be sharing soon.

Sauvie Island Organics -Max and I ate the turnips on the way home. Note to self. When making cucumber salad take out the seeds. Jenna likes it that way.

5/28/2012 Sauvie Island Organics
We get out first delivery of vegtables today.
We are headed to the coast this weekend as my lovely wife turns 40. Quick Guide to Vegan Dining on the Coast. I thank all my vegan co workers for their contributions. (That would be Jon)

This has all the recipes from last year's Sauvie's Island blog - they are all worth trying!  We especially love the falafel.....almost all the recipes can be "veganized."  


The New Port Marathon

5/8/2012 A photo from three years ago today. Practicing getting married.

Future -Pierogies.

Yesterday - #Vegan Philly Cheese Steaks with @Diaya 5/2/2012


It was so nice to have my little sister come over and cook yesterday. She made vegan steak sandwiches for all of us and made the other kind for our son. I somehow think the Vegan ones are better.

She simply browned onions and peppers and and Seitan. I whipped up a quick marinara sauce (tomatoes, garlic and tomato paste) and she added Diaya. They were simple and delicious. I made some french fries and my wife added Caprisse, Nice summer time meal with minimal dishes and cleanup.

When somebody else cooks I never complain. But sometimes I rave about it.


Professional pursuits are no longer consistent with his morals -great story worth reading.

5/1/2012
I turned 52 and my wife turns 40 next month. Have not added much here lately as we now have a large variety of recipes.

This past week
Vegan Mac and Cheese  -The old reliable and I forgot to be buy tofu. I just ground up cooked lentils.  I need to post Jenna's Killer crepe recipe. Max's friend fron vegetable hating Texas even had some. Made the shephards pie once again and it was a hit. My Vegan French toast kind of sucked. Called Max on the phone and asked him if he wanted real meat on his pizza. His answer was nah, "Ill just eat what you are having."


BBBP GhostiePig

One note, I ran out of oven space when making pizza. I made the dough for stromboli in a cast iron skillet. It was pretty good. Sunday was soup night with Vegan Pho, and Riley Clair made carrot soup.

We are almost at a year of eating Vegan. I never really think about it anymore. I don't think Jen does either.

4/15/2012
Jenna made Killer Crepes this weeking. Dynamite with a laser beam  Her carrot soup gets better and better. We did get to go to Sizzle Pie before another Brutal Timbers loss.  We signed up for a time share with Sauvie Island Organics. Got around to some early planting this year and the compost looked fantastic. Too bad our dogs now think this is their food dish. I acually cooked a German dish this week. Here is a link to Vegan Semmel Knodle. (I have no idea how to really spell it.) And Riley celebrated a month of being a vegetarian. And our youngest turns 15. he will be having a cow for his birthday. 



We are looking forward to the return of the Late Spring Fava Bean. This should be fun. Dove Lewis Doggy Dash.

Vegan Clam Chowder Made with Mushrooms
Easter Recipes

Here is a link to 10 great Vegan Web Sites.
Fat shaming doesn’t help animals This a thought provoking essay.



I love tofu banned from liscence plates

Eating a vegan diet does not guarantee any health benefits, body size, sexual prowess or any other magical superpower. Being vegan only means that you have chosen not to support the exploitation and murder of other animals. That’s it. That’s the special prize behind curtain number three.
My wife and I have been at this for seven months now and it is fun and easy. We have dropped a ton of weight (not 2000 pounds) and cooking is now fun.

My wife turns 40 this spring and I will surprise her with Vegan Sushi.  It will be a real surprise because she contributes most of the recipes here. I just cook.

On a side note all this healthy stuff is going to her head. She is now in training for the Newport Marathon.

This here is my our scratch pad to help me us gather recipes, ideas and useful links. *****Stars indicate we have tried them.

Some Happy Thoughts
Vegan Myths Debunked Thats nice that you are a Vegan but how do you get enough protein. (We hear it all the time and it is like saying "White People Can Not Jump.")
Vegans Murder Less Often  Random Mark and Jenna Conversations that will change the World.
An Unlikely Vegan -she was was so fed up with not feeling well.

Big Bad Bear Pup (BBBP)
New recipes to try during The New Year.

Baked Mac and Cheeze (w/ Cauliflower)
Vegan Milk Shakes
Vegan Polish Foods
http://beaglesarebad.tumblr.com/post/14802123580/faux-fish-and-real-chips
Could this be a replacement that makes breakfast more fun again??  Delicious looking frittata
Caesar Salad?  Yeah!
Great blog with lots of vegan recipes
Can't wait to try this eggplant burger!
Must make our own hummus!
Butternut Squash Chestnut Soup with Carmelized Onions - wow
Spaghetti Pomodoro with Grilled Tempeh
Lemon Herb Vegie Sliders/Burgers
Yeah - vegan tortilla soup.
Good Old fashioned Hummus for New Years

MAIN COURSES
Clean Out the Fridge Improvs
SALADS, FINGER FOODS, BREAD, VEGIE DISHES
DESSERTS
INTERESTING INFO

My wife and I decided to give it a try. Myself I was a semi vegetarian from the years 1985 to 2003. This decision on my part happened spur of the moment after following a chicken truck on a summer day in Delaware. This here is my our scratch pad to help me us gather recipes, ideas and useful links. Stars indicate we have tried them.









Other Resources



Our Adventures
Vegans Murder Less Often Random Mark and Jenna Conversations that will change the World.
Other Healthy Stuff

Riley Clair Goes Vegan


Portland Vegan Restaurants 



."The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." -Mohandas Gandhi (a.k.a. Mahatma)




"The obligations of law and equity reach only to mankind; but kindness and beneficence should be extended to the creatures of every species and these will flow from the breast of a true man, as streams that issue from the living fountain."











Olallie Lake -Camping Vegan

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Vegan Options Central Coast

My CoWorker Jon's suggestions
Yuzen Japanese Cuisine (Mushroom Salad, Age Dashi)


In Waldport
Natural Selection 

140 N W Hwy 101, Waldport, Oregon (97394) (at 3rd store south of stoplight/34)
541-563-6101

Independent natural food and organic grocery shop offering a variety of all-vegetarian, organic and special diet foods, including bulk food and herbs, dietary supplements, vitamins, packaged snacks, high quality pet foods, and more. Knowledgeable staff. Will take special orders. Accepts credit cards. Open Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 9am-5pm.


In Newport
Cafe Mundo
711 NW 2nd Court, Newport, Oregon (97365) (at Nye Beach)
541-574-8134

Vegan-friendly, Lacto, Ovo, Organic, International, Beer/Wine, Take-out, Non-veg
Serves meat, veg options available. Has some vegetarian dishes and several vegan. Live music daily. Has outdoor seating. Wheelchair accessible. Accepts credit cards. Open Tue-Thur 4-10pm, Fri-Sat 4pm-12 midnight.

Savory Cafe
526 NW Coast St, Newport, Oregon (97365)
541-574-9365
Vegan-friendly, Lacto, American, International, Beer/Wine, Take-out, Non-veg
Serves meat, veg options available. Vegetarian cafe also serving fish. Has gluten-free items. Accepts credit cards. Open Tue-Sun 11am-9pm.
============
Health Food Stores, Vegan Shops, Vegan Bakeries, Vegetarian B&Bs, Veg Catering, Veg*n Organizations: (2 Listings)



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Oceana Natural Foods Co-op and Cafe 3 Reviews
159 SE 2nd St, Newport, Oregon (97365)
541-265-8285

Member-owned market since 1977. Providing all-organic fresh produce, complete line of groceries, household and personal care products, bulk staples, vitamins and supplements, wine, baked goods, and a vegetarian-friendly deli cafe that offers free wi-fi internet, salad bar and hot food bar with ingredient cards on all dishes. Hot soup and baked goods available. Self-serve and sit-down eating area. Hot bar is Mon-Fri 11:30am-2pm(unless sold out), salad bar is Mon-Fri 11am-6:30pm. Open Mon-Fri 8am-7pm, Sat 8am-6pm, Sun 10am-6pm.

Website Map Add Photo Save Add to Favs Update Data Info Are you the owner?

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Farmers' Market Be first to review!

41 SW Coast Highway, Newport, Oregon (97365) (at Alder St, in Armory parking area behind City Hall, Uptown Newport)

541-961-8236


Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Random Communication Notes


Using "I" Message



An effective way to talk to your partner is
through "I" messages—statements that describe your
feelings and tell how you are affected by your
partner's behavior. "I" messages can express
emotions in a way that is not threatening as they focus
on the speaker's feelings and not blaming the
partner.
"I" messages are very different from a "you"
message. "You" messages place blame and judge the
other person based on their behavior. "You" messages
often trigger defensiveness or hostility your partner
and tend to increase conflict. Think about how you
feel when you hear
"You always..." or "You never...."

Different Communication Styles


Different Communication Styles
Communication plays a very
important role in partners being satisfied in their
marriage. If you would like better communication
with your partner, it's good to understand some of the
differences in communication styles.


Expressive
One partner may be more expressive. Expressive
people like to share emotions and feelings. They look
for real-time feedback or responses.


Task- or Fact-oriented
Another partner might seldom talk about
feelings, and may use facts instead of emotions, as in:
"I feel that I'm not making enough money." This
person is looking for acceptance of his/her point of
view, not emotions.

Excersizes


Three Things I Love and Hate About You
This exercise will truly be helpful if both the individuals practice it honestly. Both the partners should have a piece of paper in their hand and they should write three things that they love and hate about their respective other. Make sure you practice this exercise alone where there is peace and quiet, you'll then give this list to each other. Now, without getting offended or too happy about the list take the three things which your partner hates about you into serious consideration and feel happy about the things that your spouse loves about you. Think how you can be a better partner to your spouse and thank him/her for being truthful.

You Have to Listen
Remember that communication is a two-way street, you have to listen to the other person and listening with open ears and full concentration is always appreciated. 90% of problems in a marriage happen because one out of the two is not listening attentively to what the other is saying. Listening carefully to what your spouse has to say and giving each other importance is essential. Just remember your dating period, you two were so much in love and use to give each other opinions so much importance. You have to follow the same thing in a marriage.

Positive Speaking and Healthy Words
Another reason for lack of communication in marriage is because of negative speaking. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand that positive speaking is better than negative speaking. Speaking harsh words may hurt your partner and she/he may feel attacked and insulted. If you are not comfortable with something, then its good to speak up and let them know but it's also advisable to be polite and gentle while speaking. Speaking positive words is a great communication exercises for married couples.

Stop Assumptions
Another good couples communication exercises that you can follow is being non judgmental. I've seen it many times and even you're mature enough to know it that making assumptions always lands you in trouble. When you make assumptions, you start projecting something that hasn't happened yet and this embarks a string of fights and misunderstandings. So it is better that you stop making assumptions and think from both sides of the coin.

These were some basic communication exercises for married couples which help establish effective communication between them. There might be times when your spouse may hesitate to speak fearing how the conversation may turn out. In such times, it's very necessary that you support her/him and let her/him be comfortable and free.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/communication-exercises-for-married-couples.html

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Eggs Bread and Cheese


Vegan egg replacers (for 1 large egg)
■1-1/2 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 2 tablespoons of water
■1 tablespoon Bob’s Red Mill All-Natural Egg Replacer mixed with 3 tablespoons water
■1/4 cup tofu blended with a little liquid in the recipe
■1/4 cup soy yogurt
■1/4 cup vegan buttermilk
■1/4 cup mashed banana or applesauce
■1 tablespoon soy flour mixed with 1 tablespoon water
■1 tablespoon agar-agar mixed with 1 tablespoon water
■1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons water*



Bread
1 tablespoon yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted vegan margarine (both work fine)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour


Directions:
1. Preheat oven 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the yeast with the lukewarm water until the yeast is dissolved. Let it stand for a couple minutes.
2. Add the salt and vegetable oil/melted margarine. Mix. Add the flour, and mix.
3. Roll out the dough, and place on pan or stone. Put it in the oven for 5 minutes.
4. Take it out and rub vegetable oil over it. Add toppings, and cook for 10 to 15 more minutes.
Makes: 1 serving, Preparation time: 10 minutes, Cooking time: 15 to 20 minutes









"Cheese" Sauce:
1 1/2 cups unsweetened nondairy milk
1 1/2 cups nutritional yeast
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 cup water
1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/4 (12 ounce) block firm (not silken) tofu
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon vegesal or in lack of fancy product, just use salt
1 dollop mustard, optional

Thursday, June 02, 2011

For Profit Colleges

Jen and I were watching a commercial yesterday for University of Phoenix  (may have been some other college) and the lady told a story of being single, twenty and having 2 kids. She told the story how she picked her self up from her boot straps and got degree after degree until she finally became something in an impressive uniform.

Jen asked me if those commercials were real and my only response was yes they probably were. I said they have thousands of students and one or two had to make it good and why not feature them.

Today as I was driving to work I heard a story on PBS how many of these schools are in danger of losing  federal aid.

After months of delay, the Department of Education on Thursday issued new rules that could shut down some for-profit colleges and universities.


The department says the regulations are meant to cut off federal aid to schools whose students cannot earn enough to repay their loans. The administration softened the rules in response to industry pressure.


Before he announced the rules, Education Secretary Arne Duncan paid tribute to the important role played by for-profit schools, such as the University of Phoenix.
http://www.npr.org/2011/06/02/136876216/softened-regulations-issued-for-for-profit-schools?ps=cprs
 

Well it seems there are some success stories, it also seems these people are coming out of college and not being hired. I see the logic in this, but I must also question it. Lets face it teachers coming out of grad school face an uphill road when finding employment when getting out of school. Well let us not split hairs, as this fact is also true across the board, across all professions.

Ironically, there are many people who are out of work right now and it is logical that they head back to school to update their skill sets.

I think I'll go back to college and get a PHD and solve this little dilema.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Disaster From Afar

We have a cat that is a crazy as they come. She used to be shy little cat and over the past few years Astrid has come out her shell and she is quite the talker. And she brings Jen and I presents. She has a toy called Qua duck. What Qua duck actually is a question for another day. It is half octopus (with four legs) and half duck. Astrid meows in a throaty load purr when she has Qua duck in her mouth. The other day she brought Jen a ball of yarn and our bed was like a big spider web. She brought me a fastener that wraps around a head of Kale. Why she brought me that I have no idea.

But I remember many years ago I was in the apple orchard and I was picking apples. (Such an idyllic childhood) and I saw my Mom hanging wash (people used to do that and my Mom was good at it and she liked hanging wash). The I saw our cat Beacon (our Mom called him BJ) walking toward my Mom much like Astrid now does with Qua duck. Only BJ was walking across the lawn with a big old snake in his mouth. The snake was still alive and wiggling like crazy.I saw my Mom hanging wash and Bj walking across the lawn with a present for my Mom and I could see a disaster of epic proportions ready to erupt and I was helpless to stop the train wreck.

It actually didn't end in train wreck but I remember that fleeting feeling of not being able to stop the disaster at hand. It was uproariously funny in my mind but I also wanted to spare my Mom of the surprise present.

As anticipated my Mom turned and started yelling at BJ to drop the snake and our startled cat to my surprise ran like hell and the snake slithered into a bush.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Even in the Quietest Moments




I remember when I was about 15 years old. I was too old to participate in family vacations in my mind. But I still had my favourite childhood memories tied to going to the beach ( I believe we called it the shore)  with my family. We would spend most mornings getting up early and having a big breakfast , walking the beach, doing a little wave riding but when GrandFather Hoover determined that the tide was right we would head back to the bay to do some crabbing, Yes we all loved going to Assawoman State Park and do the crabbing thing. Throw a chicken laden string in the water and five minutes later pulling up the string and snaring a ceab in our net.

I remember riding in our parents car back to our favorite crabbing spot and me being the self centered teenager that I was. I decided that i would pop in Supertamps Crime of the Century cd. In retrospect our Grandfather was in the car and he had made the drive to our favourite crabbing spots a thousnad times before.

But he sat there that day and listened to the cd I had pur on. The song Even in the Quitest Moments came on the car sterwo and everyboday sar silent and listened to it.

My grandfasther commented that was a beutiful song.

I heard it again todat and it brought me back to Crabbing in Deleware. And some of the simple pleasures I miss today.

And Slim as many used to call my grandfather.

And even though the stars are listening

And the ocean's deep, I just go to sleep
And then I create a silent movie
You become the star, is that what you are, dear?
Your whisper tells a secret
Your laughter brings me joy
And a wonder of feeling I'm Nature's own little boy
But still the tears keep fallinThey're raining from the sky
Well there's a lot of me got to go under before I get high
Don't you let the sun disappear

 My grandfather sat and listened to these words with me and I have not recisted them until I  heard it today on WXPN/
 
A beauriful song always stirs a memory.